Greetings Master Malstrom. As the games industry continues its spiraling down the proverbial toilet, I find it hilarious that the industry can continue to ignore the elephant in the room. With all the company collapses and poor financials its obvious something has to give.
I’ve found myself becomming addicted to the free version of Words with Friends. And now I’m looking at life and business as a game of chess. In doing so I’m also looking at the console companies with this same perspective. Wondering what each may be able to do to enhance their market share and overall fortunes. It is also funny to hear folks like Pachter or Mark Rein talk about consoles as if they need to be more PC like. It all begins to make sense why there has always been a certain stigma given to Nintendo (and Sega as well before) by the talking heads. They want PC gaming to be the only option. They are hoping apple joins the ranks because they want another pool to dip their feet into.
In any case, as the next gen kicks off, it is really easy to see Nintendo f%&^#* themselves royally in abandoning the Wii, essentially killing it, and making an N64 like Handheld..again. remember when the DS was originally considered an N64 like handheld? And when PSP started gaining ground they turned it into what became the best selling game console ever, by changing strategies and going back to basics. 3DS needs a redesign, less emphasis on 3D (like you’ve said) and more games in the spirit of suped up DS, Wii games. The only reason 3DS hasn’t been more of a debacle is Sony was too inept (or broke) to capitalise on it). And then the Wii U..Change the dumb ass name, for one, secondly, and more importantly bring on games people actually want to play. 3rd Party ports ain’t gonna cut it. 3D Mario aint gonna cut it, Pikmin, ain’t gonna cut it, Aounuma Zelda ain’t gonna cut it. Look at the games that propelled the Wii and make versions that make the previous versions obsolete. Online gaming should be a huge part of improvement for Nintendo. That tablet Controller looks weird, bulky and lame as hell. Thank goodness it’ll be compatible with the other Wii accessories that never got implemented more than once. But as of now, count me out of supporting Nintendo until shit changes.
Sony is in an even more precarious position than Nintendo. To be honest if I were them I wouldn’t even release another console. The reason being because they will be able to possibly run every game Wii U would be able to, more or less, and the PS3 has now become ‘good enough’ in terms of horsepower. They already have over 60m userbase. I feel Sony would be able to undercut Nintendo if they did this. I know you feel Vita has potential and I concur it does, but I’m not sure Sony has the software inhouse to propel the system and relying on third parties is very dangerous. They are as fickle as women and like women are only as loyal as their walets lol.
MS is actually in the best position I believe. And reports of them taking a Nintendo like approach in terms of horsepower is very smart. I believe this has caused Epic and Pachter to go up in arms with those outrageous comments. However, the other reports of MS possibly not allowing used games to be played is hilarious! That would kill their system in my opinion. Also how MS got away with charging for online play is beyond me, I’m not sure they will be able to get away with this next gen. Us people have gotten used to not paying for services nowadays lol.
Good day sir.
PS Let’s hope Aonuma doesn’t touch a New Legend of Zelda game. He’d fuck it up. And I find it hilarious that the director of the Galaxy games was never able to beat Mario Bros 3, yet he’s the one picked to make “3D mario games’ Who picks these goofs?You cover up all the points and do not leave me much to add!
One significant change Nintendo could do is actually allow people to own the digital distributed software. Digital distribution does not mean you force us to buy Super Mario Brothers for every new hardware iteration. Digital distribution means we buy one copy of Super Mario Brothers and use it on any Nintendo console we choose. I am tired of buying Super Mario Brothers again and again.
Other mediums like movies or music or books or computer software allow us to be in control of the content. The reason why the Virtual Console or the E-shops are not successful is because customers are not allowed to invest in them. Why buy games which vanish when your hardware fails? It doesn’t work that way with non-digital transmitted games.
Most gamers’ purchasing habits are governed by the sense of investment in entertainment. People do not buy games they do not wish to play often. And since you cannot sell used with DD games, all those people who buy on day one and sell on day five are not going to purchase DD games. This emphasizes the customers’ need to feel like they can invest.
I should be able to buy every NES game that is legally possible. And then I should be able to play it on every Nintendo game console in the future. This ever growing library of games would only be a good thing.
“But then people may not buy the new games.”
But people don’t buy the new games now. Why? Because they are still playing their NES and SNES systems, replaying Chrono Trigger and Super Metroid, because they enjoy those games more than these ‘new games’. The new games have to compete with the past games, not just games on the market currently.
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